She outlived her own children: 117-year-old woman shares her secret to longevity

Ethel Caterham, the world's oldest woman since 2025 and currently ranked 13th among the longest-living people in history, celebrated her 117th birthday. She holds the unique distinction of being the last living person on Earth born before 1910.

When asked about the secret to her extraordinary longevity, Caterham offered a simple yet profound explanation: "I never argue with anyone, I listen, and I do what I want." This philosophy seems to have served her well throughout her exceptionally long life.

Born in 1909 in the village of Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, Caterham's life has spanned over a century of global change. At 18, she independently sailed to India to work as a governess for a British family. She later married Major Norman Caterham of the British Army in 1933. The couple lived in Hong Kong, where she cared for children and established a kindergarten.

Caterham has outlived her husband and two daughters, Gem and Anne. She now has three granddaughters and five great-grandchildren. Her family also seems predisposed to longevity, as her sister Gladys Babilas lived to be 104. Currently residing in a care home in Lightwater, a local garden has been named "Ethel's Garden" in her honor. In September 2025, she received a visit from King Charles III of Great Britain.

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I never argue with anyone, I listen, and I do what I want.